Innovation exhibition and competition Technorama 2019: the record prize fund and 60 future-shaping inventions

Technorama was special in 2019 –not only it celebrated the 18^th birthday but also had the record high prize fund of more than 12.000 EUR. More than 60 inventions by 110 young researchers and creators were showcased at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) Santaka Valley last Friday, May 9.

This year Technorama innovations ranged from technologies for health monitoring to paintable sensors and solar cell coatings, from virtual reality solutions to flour mix with insect proteins and many more.

The prize fund was record high – 20 teams shared more than EUR 12.000 established by Kaunas University of Technology and partners of the event. The lucky ones were the young researchers of the Faculty of Informatics – they won the biggest amount of prizes.

The main KTU Rector’s Prize of 1,500 euros went to the team of Martynas Milinskas and Karolis Simaitis from the Faculty of Informatics. They presented “Lo-Fi open design 3D printer” – a solution that enables to significantly reduce 3D printer’s price by providing the opportunity to assemble a 3D printer at home from the separate parts, having relatively small programming knowledge and the necessary hardware. Printer also comes with software that makes it easy to manage and share 3D projects and models.

The prize of EUR 1,500 by one of the main event partners, Centric IT Solutions Lithuania, went to the Faculty of Informatics as well. The team of Andrius Paulauskas, Lukas Paulauskas and Romas Šleževičius presented “Gunplay VR” – a system that attempts to bring a “real” gun into virtual reality. This invention consisted of a replica of the desired gun, its’ photo-realistic 3D model and VR programme that gives amusing and highly immersive virtual reality experience. The solution can be adapted for military training.

The other EUR 1,500 prize established by the main partner Danske Bank went to Valdas Mikėnas and Vytautas Janušonis for their invention Multifunctional POWER SHIELS 6+6 T800 for Arduino. The team presented an add-on for Arduino developing board. The invention amplifies controller’s digital outputs power, can control 6 loads of different types and voltages and can be used by R&D departments, robotics, programming and electronic schools or by DIY enthusiasts.

Special prizes for innovations in food and health areas were established by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), their communities EIT Health and EIT Food:

EIT Health InnoStars Technorama prizes of EUR 500 were given to two teams.
One prize went to the project “Automated 2D echocardiography” by the representative of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, together with colleagues from Vilnius University and Lithuanian University of Health Sciences.
Another awarded project was MARCH+ by students of KTU Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design.

EIT Food prizes of EUR 500 were also given to two teams.
One award went to the project “Fermented acorn coffee Gile” by representatives of the Faculty of Chemical Technology. The team also received a special invitation to represent the Kaunas University of Technology at “ECOTROPHELIA, the Student Awards of Food Innovation” competition.
Another team was awarded for “Potato croquettes flour mix with insect proteins”, also by students at the Faculty of Chemical Technology.

KTU Alumni Association prize of EUR 500 and Baltec CNC Technologies  prize of EUR 750 went for the project “Solar-Powered Wildlife Warning System”.

Company R1 RCM established 4 prizes of EUR 500 that went to the representatives of the Faculty of Informatics and their projects: VR game “Escape the Lab”, project “Student attendance automated management system”, “Neural Impairment Test Suite mobile app” and investment game “Invesco”.

Dematic Kaunas prize of EUR 500 went to the project “Multi-stage electromagnetic launcher” by the representative of Faculty of Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

TransUnion Lithuania prize of EUR 500 went to the project “Flight over the Atlantic” and the joint team of KTU Faculty of Informatics and Vytautas the Great War Museum.

Practica Capital prize of EUR 500 went to an interdisciplinary team of Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences and Faculty of Chemical Technology for the project “Paintable sensors and solar cell coatings with multifunctional ZnO nanomaterials”.

Two prizes of EUR 400, established by the company Malsena went to the teams the Faculty of Chemical Technology and their projects Gluten-free cupcakes” and “Tempura dry mix”.

“Ar žinai” community gave away 3 prizes of EUR 100 for the projects: “Green vertical mini textile wall”, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Design, “Virtual reality for historical storytelling”, Faculty of Informatics and “Artificial Intelligence for Smart Cities”, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture.

The “VR lab” of the Faculty of Informatics got a special prize of the most active laboratory in “Technorama” event. Other, non-monetary prizes were also established by “Technorama” event partners Mars Lietuva and Design Library Kaunas.

Technorama is the most exciting junior researchers’ exhibition in Lithuania organised by KTU National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre and KTU Startup Space.

Technorama encourages young scientists to convert their competencies and knowledge into solutions, to develop their critical thinking and entrepreneurship spirit. The event includes an exhibition of the inventions and projects of young researchers and B2B meetings with innovators. Established in 2001, the event has awarded more than 100 inventions and new ideas.